ScreenConnect Customizations: What’s Different and Why
ScreenConnect recently rolled out security updates to promote internet safety and close the customization features that potentially could be misused by threat actors.
We realize that some of our partners may have been caught off-guard by the changes, so we want to take a moment to explain what changed and what you can expect moving forward.
What’s driving these changes
ScreenConnect is used by a wide range of partners, from solo techs to large MSPs and enterprise IT teams. Over the years, partners desired greater customization options for their business and end clients but, as threat actors continue to evolve their techniques, tactics, and procedures, such options have the potential to be misused in today’s digital world.
To address this issue, we’ve made changes aimed at improving end-user awareness, transparency, and security. Unfortunately, to enhance security, we were required to remove some customization capabilities that you may have previously enjoyed using.
What changed
We’ve taken the step of resetting several high-risk customizations to their default values and disabling the ability to modify them going forward. This includes some customizations that were previously made through the Appearance page, the Advanced Configuration Editor, or by directly editing the web.config or app.config files.
Some examples:
| Customization | Reason for removal | Action taken | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
|
While these settings were useful for troubleshooting machines without disruption or for hiding unwanted UI elements or dialogs, there was the potential for misuse. | The system tray, the connection banner, and the balloon notifications cannot be hidden or removed. | End users now have more indication when a technician connects to their machine. This helps prevent someone from gaining remote access to their system without their knowledge. |
|
Customizing the logos and the background of the Guest page allowed business owners to add their own branding to welcome an end user or to provide a familiar experience to existing clients. These customizations could also be misused to impersonate other legitimate businesses. | All logos in the product have been reset to their defaults, and the background of the Guest page has been changed to a gradient. | End users are presented with a consistent logo and experience for the remote control solution that’s being used to connect to their machine. The logos and colors match the official ScreenConnect.com website so the end users are reassured that a legitimate product is being used to connect to their machine. |
|
Changing the filename of downloaded ScreenConnect files can build trust between a business and their end users. It could also be misused to mask the ScreenConnect application as a different file or document. | The filename can no longer be customized. | End users can be more aware that the application they’re clicking on is a remote support solution. |
You can see the full list of impacted settings in our support article here.
We know that certain changes might be initially disruptive. The decision was not taken lightly, but it was necessary to help prevent potential misuse of the product.
Where we’re headed
While some options have been removed, we're not walking away from customization entirely. Instead, we're moving toward a more secure, segmented approach.
Visible indicators (banner + tray icon)
- The connection banner will remain visible whenever a host is connected to a user session, and the system tray icon will remain present. We’re exploring ways to render the banner so it’s clearly visible to the guest while being less intrusive for the host’s workflow.
- We are also investigating removing the balloon notification that appears when a guest joins a session.
Guest page background
- In the latest release (25.5), we’ve updated the default background to a neutral gradient, replacing the default space background image.
- We are also researching limited customizations, like options for background colors or gradients, that allow for branding but don’t compromise on clarity or trust for your end users.
What’s next
Here’s what we’re focusing on next:
- Updating client-facing documentation to help your users recognize ScreenConnect and know what to expect (tray icon, banner, and session behavior)
- Rolling-out additional security improvements to prevent scammers from misusing remote support
- Re-evaluating and modernizing the UI/UX of the web interface and the client to reduce friction and improve clarity
We’re committed to making sure ScreenConnect continues to be a product that you and your end users can rely on to deliver best in class IT services.
We also recognize that some of you chose ScreenConnect for its vast customization options. While a small number of customization capabilities won’t return, we will continue to offer customization options to make the product feel like it fits your business.
We appreciate your partnership as we continue to evolve ScreenConnect. We encourage you to share feedback and ideas in our community forum so your voice helps shape what comes next.